Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans announced a new diversion program Thursday, Oct. 8, offering some people charged with low-level, nonviolent misdemeanors a 90-day path to services instead of traditional prosecution. Connection Court held its first session Wednesday. Participants can be connected with substance-use treatment, employment support, health benefits and peer support. To complete the program, they must demonstrate what the city calls “law-abiding behavior” during the 90-day period; those who do not will be screened out and prosecuted through the usual process. The program is limited to people whose charges are not part of a pattern of frequent criminal misconduct. People with certain serious felony records are ineligible, as are those charged with driving under the influence, gun-related misdemeanors or domestic violence. Some low-value theft cases can qualify. The King County Department of Public Defense, which represents most people charged with crimes in the county, criticized the restrictions and the requirement to remain law-abiding for the full 90 days. Katie Hurley, the department’s special counsel for criminal policy and practice, said the rules could disproportionately affect people with low incomes, people of color and people experiencing homelessness. Hurley also said people held in custody because they cannot afford bail should be able to participate. She said the department was not told about a separate repeat-offense initiative until Monday. Evans said the program is intended to address underlying problems while maintaining accountability. “I don’t want a box-checking exercise, I want to solve people’s underlying problems so they do not reoffend,” she said in an emailed statement, adding that she respectfully disagreed with partners’ criticisms. Connection Court resembles Seattle’s former community court, which diverted some misdemeanor cases and required six hours of community service. That program began in 2020 and was ended in 2023 by then-City Attorney Ann Davison. Davison later introduced a replacement alongside restrictions on entering certain areas; Evans has halted enforcement of those “stay-out” laws since taking office. The city is also launching a High-Priority Repeat Offenses initiative, or HiPRO, aimed at people charged with three cases in three months or six cases in six months, as well as people accused of stealing from businesses after being trespassed from them. Prosecutors will seek aggravated jail sentences for people who meet the criteria, and they will generally be ineligible for Connection Court and other diversion programs. Hurley said excluding that group conflicts with the goal of a broadly available community court. Evans said the separate initiative is intended to impose firmer consequences on people who repeatedly cycle through the legal system. Mayor Katie Wilson backed Connection Court, saying it could provide tailored help to people with complex needs. The city says participants may also have a pathway to work with the Downtown Seattle Association’s ambassador program, which employs people to clean downtown streets and assist visitors and residents. Cases better suited to mental health court, or involving someone already in that court, will not be handled by Connection Court.